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Former Detroit Lions quarterback Hendon Hooker going through a drill at mandatory minicamp.
The New York Jets fans hardly knew ye.
Veteran quarterback Hendon Hooker is signing a deal with the Tennessee Titans in free agency, NFL Insider Jordan Schultz shared on social media.
This is a homecoming for Hooker. The talented passer went to the University of Tennessee for his final two collegiate seasons (2021-22). Now he returns to his old stomping grounds as a professional quarterback.
Recapping Hooker’s Tenure in New York
Hooker, 28, signed with the Jets on December 28 of 2025. He initially started on the practice squad before ultimately jumping to the active roster in January.
It was a reunion for Hooker with the former Detroit Lions members of the Jets staff. That included head coach Aaron Glenn and then offensive cooridator Tanner Engstrand.
During the offseason, Hooker told ESPN Radio’s Jake Asman that he was interested in returning to the Jets. The feelings apparently weren’t mutual.
Gang Green essentially replaced Hooker with the same type of player in Bailey Zappe. However, the Jets aren’t done adding quarterbacks to the roster.
Jets Leave the Door Open for QB Signing
General manager Darren Mougey spoke with the media for seven minutes and 50 seconds at the Annual League Meetings. Despite only being in his second year, Mougey is a pro’s pro at doing a really good job of saying something while revealing nothing.
However, there were a few answers that were quite telling. One of them was what he said about the quarterback position.
“We feel good about the quarterback room, but could potentially add another guy to the room before the draft. We will see where that goes, but we will monitor that quarterback market and see where we end up,” Mougey explained.
Options Are Getting Limited for the Green and White
If the Jets are looking to add a veteran, the well is drying up quickly.
There are two big names at the top of the leaderboard, but there is a negative percent chance either player signs with the green and white.
Aaron Rodgers is Pittsburgh Steelers or bust. No need to waste any time talking about that one. Kirk Cousins remains a free agent. It became apparent very early in the offseason that Cousins had no interest in the Jets, and the team felt the same way.
Head coach Aaron Glenn made it very clear that Geno Smith is the QB1 for the Jets. So whoever the Jets decide to sign at quarterback will be a primary backup.
With that in mind, there are two names to keep in mind.
A potential Tyrod Taylor reunion makes sense. Taylor told ESPN Radio’s Jake Asman that he would love to return to the team this offseason. Insider Tony Pauline revealed that the Jets would like to bring Taylor back.
He feels like the fallback plan. If they can’t add whoever they want, the Jets can always add Taylor, who remains available.
The other name to watch is Cooper Rush. The most recent stuff for Rush wasn’t good; he performed poorly with the Baltimore Ravens and was cut this offseason. However, his previous history with the Dallas Cowboys had plenty of promise.
Paul Esden Jr. covers the New York Jets for Heavy.com. A New York native, he co-hosts a morning show, “The Manchild Show with Boy Green Digital.” Before joining Heavy in 2021, Esden Jr. covered both national and New York sports for FanSided, Elite Sports NY, and The Score 1260. More about Paul Esden Jr.
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